Supreme Court Rules Illegal Aliens Can't Seek Citizenship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court Monday handed down a ruling that illegal aliens who are in the country under humanitarian reasons are not eligible to become permanent residents.  

The ruling states that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from seeking “green cards” to remain in the country permanently.

There are 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote, “The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them. So the conferral of TPS does not make an unlawful entrant...eligible" for a green card.

The Biden Administration has said it supports a change in the law. But his administration argued that current immigration law doesn't permit people who entered the country illegally to apply for permanent residency.